diff --git a/include/sound/emu10k1.h b/include/sound/emu10k1.h
index 5ebcc51c0a6a..8c1572de44c5 100644
--- a/include/sound/emu10k1.h
+++ b/include/sound/emu10k1.h
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_pcm {
 	struct snd_pcm_indirect pcm_rec;
 	unsigned int tram_pos;
 	unsigned int tram_shift;
-	struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq *irq;
+	struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq irq;
 };
 
 struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010 {
@@ -1902,7 +1902,7 @@ int snd_emu10k1_fx8010_register_irq_handler(struct snd_emu10k1 *emu,
 					    snd_fx8010_irq_handler_t *handler,
 					    unsigned char gpr_running,
 					    void *private_data,
-					    struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq **r_irq);
+					    struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq *irq);
 int snd_emu10k1_fx8010_unregister_irq_handler(struct snd_emu10k1 *emu,
 					      struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq *irq);
 
diff --git a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c
index a2b56b188be4..608ff4857d70 100644
--- a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c
+++ b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c
@@ -421,14 +421,10 @@ int snd_emu10k1_fx8010_register_irq_handler(struct snd_emu10k1 *emu,
 					    snd_fx8010_irq_handler_t *handler,
 					    unsigned char gpr_running,
 					    void *private_data,
-					    struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq **r_irq)
+					    struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq *irq)
 {
-	struct snd_emu10k1_fx8010_irq *irq;
 	unsigned long flags;
 	
-	irq = kmalloc(sizeof(*irq), GFP_ATOMIC);
-	if (irq == NULL)
-		return -ENOMEM;
 	irq->handler = handler;
 	irq->gpr_running = gpr_running;
 	irq->private_data = private_data;
@@ -443,8 +439,6 @@ int snd_emu10k1_fx8010_register_irq_handler(struct snd_emu10k1 *emu,
 		emu->fx8010.irq_handlers = irq;
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&emu->fx8010.irq_lock, flags);
-	if (r_irq)
-		*r_irq = irq;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -468,7 +462,6 @@ int snd_emu10k1_fx8010_unregister_irq_handler(struct snd_emu10k1 *emu,
 			tmp->next = tmp->next->next;
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&emu->fx8010.irq_lock, flags);
-	kfree(irq);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emupcm.c b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emupcm.c
index cefe613ef7b7..d39458ab251f 100644
--- a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emupcm.c
+++ b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emupcm.c
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ static int snd_emu10k1_fx8010_playback_trigger(struct snd_pcm_substream *substre
 	case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_STOP:
 	case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_PAUSE_PUSH:
 	case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_SUSPEND:
-		snd_emu10k1_fx8010_unregister_irq_handler(emu, pcm->irq); pcm->irq = NULL;
+		snd_emu10k1_fx8010_unregister_irq_handler(emu, &pcm->irq);
 		snd_emu10k1_ptr_write(emu, emu->gpr_base + pcm->gpr_trigger, 0, 0);
 		pcm->tram_pos = INITIAL_TRAM_POS(pcm->buffer_size);
 		pcm->tram_shift = 0;